Called off too many times?

[MS0298]

All the times that I've called off have been related to health problems and physical. Wrist pain, chest pain, now both knee pain. When bending at the knees, it hurts a lot and when walking for a long time I feel the same. I've even visited my doctor and they gonna have me tested for arthritis(runs in the family)

I've been thinking off calling off the following weekend. It is Thursday and I have work Saturday and Sunday.

The only thing thats stopping me from calling off is the consequences. I do not know the attendance policy since I'm hella new (6months)

[NCRN2010, BSN, RN]

You had better carry your hind end to work on the weekend. and every time after that when scheduled. Forget calling off unless you are near death. And even then, get to work. Let them send you home if you fall out once you're there. And don't do that until at least half the shift is over.

And make your doctor appointments on your days off or after your day shift is over or before your evening shift starts.

No car excuses, no child care excuses, no excuses at all. Just make up your mind that you are going to work and plan everything else around that. Including your loved ones dying.

I am serious.

Although this may sound harsh, I totally agree with Kooky Korky. Nurses are held to a higher standard on many things. If you were working in an office job in a clerical position it might be fine to call out because your cat got run over or you fell on the ice trying to get to your car, but if you are a nurse, you need to show up! Absenteeism causes extra stress on your colleagues therefore creating a less than ideal situation for patients.

Before I became a nurse I would call out for any little reason. That changed when I took on the responsibility and care of patients. I have held my attendance to such a high regard that I probably was bordering on negligent parenting. Being a nurse is not a job. It is who you are.

[SpankedInPittsburgh, DNP, RN]

"Being a nurse is not a job. It is who you are."

Yep, that's the essence of it. Being a nurse is a job I do and am very good at. However, that's all it is. Nursing doesn't define me. I take excellent care of the patients in my care when at work but staffing the hospital or annoying other nurses because I called off and refuse to tell them why is not and will never be my problem. I report to a Nurse Manager and have for almost 20 years. They have no issue with the amount of times I call off. If the gossiping nurses on my unit want to dissect my reasons for not being there well that's up to them but I give it no weight at all especially when so many of them call off even more than I do. Its simply none of their business

[Ddestiny, BSN, RN]

Although this may sound harsh, I totally agree with Kooky Korky. Nurses are held to a higher standard on many things. If you were working in an office job in a clerical position it might be fine to call out because your cat got run over or you fell on the ice trying to get to your car, but if you are a nurse, you need to show up! Absenteeism causes extra stress on your colleagues therefore creating a less than ideal situation for patients.

Before I became a nurse I would call out for any little reason. That changed when I took on the responsibility and care of patients.

I definitely second this.

My last non-healthcare related job was when I was 21, working in a factory setting doing embroidery for clothing. The job wasn't mentally stimulating and I pretty much dreaded it so I was happy to find an excuse to not go to work. Even made up some doozies along the way. I didn't feel necessary in the job -- if I didn't come in there was no greater expectation on my colleagues (our productivity was measured per person, not per order, group, etc). Not that that's an excuse, but it definitely kept me from being concerned about my frequent absenteeism.

That job lasted about 6 months. lol

But healthcare is different. People need you and it makes a very real difference when you are gone.

One CNA job I had was so chronically understaffed that people were threatened with their jobs if they attempted to call out without finding their own coverage. And even finding coverage was incredibly difficult because, due to lack of coverage, most people were already doing extra shifts. Being sick was not enough. I came in once with a 102* fever to show I wasn't faking it and the charge nurse still didn't want to excuse me because she didn't want to be even more understaffed. The only time I saw an excuse granted was in the case of a "death in the family"...which, guess what, was not real. But I digress. This just shows how badly some places are hurting with needing people to come to work, and how badly it screws with morale when there's a staffing issue.

And yes, I do think that it matters why someone is not present. I have way more empathy for someone that is frequently absent due to a family member's terminal/debilitating illness than for the colleague that just doesn't want to be there or that likes to go out partying or whatever. Yes, the outcome is the same, but I am much happier to shoulder a heavier burden for the former person than for the latter. I also think that the morale of the unit and respect of one's colleagues will be more tarnished if they felt they were constantly stuck with doing extra because of the latter individual.

[KelRN215, BSN, RN]

Thank you for saying that! One of the many reasons I am looking forward to being a nurse is to have actual sick days. Heaven forbid a person gets sick. Some of you guys are starting to sound like the martyrs nurses are infamous for. No offense, but the younger generation will not work 5 years with a handful of sick days, period. And I doubt they will stand for a work culture that chastizes them for doing so. Do I call in sick? Hardly. But I am not a better human being because I am willing to beat my body up. Look at teachers. They have subs and sick days. Are they slackers and poor team members? Do we say they don't care about our kids? No. Overall, I think nurses are too hard on each other as if there will be a prize at the end for who sacrificed the most for their job. Guess what? There isn't.

Just curious, what makes you think you will definitely have "actual sick days" as a nurse?

In 11 years as a nurse, I have never worked anywhere that gave specific sick days. Every benefited position I've held had a PTO system where vacation, sick and (in all places but 1) holidays were all rolled into one bank.

[barcode120x, RN, NP]

As long as you are following your hospital policy, you shouldn't be worried. Be worried if you passed the line designated on your hospital policy. I've crossed that line twice actually, but had only been given verbals. It was no biggie.

[Persephone Paige, ADN]

Have you tried knee braces? The reason I ask is because I have sacral and hip pain, the brace has made a big difference because of the added support.